This invention relates to coating compositions and, in particular, to coatings for rendering previously applied toxic coatings less harmful to persons, particularly children who might be tempted to suck, chew, swallow or otherwise mouth surfaces, chips or peelings coated with such toxic substances.
Many paints used on the interior surfaces of houses and rental apartments painted before World War II contained lead compounds and other toxic compounds and substances. In older dwelling units, especially the inadequately maintained units prevalent in poorer neighborhoods, the paints are loose and peeling. The fallen chips often fall into the hands of children living in these units, exposing them to lead poisoning. Further, many of these children have a history of pica, a disorder characterized by a tendency to eat non-food items such as paint chips, plaster and dirt. These children commonly chew even on intact paint surfaces. The number of children who thus become chronically ill or who die is not accurately known but is said by authoritative sources to be appreciable.
A number of proposals have been made for correcting this condition. These include:
1. Tearing down and replacing walls and ceilings coated with lead paints.
2. Canvassing, panelling or otherwise resurfacing old walls, ceilings and woodwork that have been coated with such paints.
3. Burning, scraping, dissolving or otherwise removing lead paints from interior surfaces in dwelling units likely to be inhabited by children.
All of these proposals require considerable expense, time and, in some cases, involve significant structural changes in the building itself. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a simple, relatively inexpensive and quick method of keeping children who might be tempted to ingest these poisonous substances away from toxic paint films. An additional object is to reduce the occurrence of pica by conditioning children, through an unpleasant taste experience, to avoid non-food items resembling paint chips or surfaces. My paint, that to the child should be indistinguishable from ordinary paints until he tastes it, will condition him by the unpleasant taste experience it imparts not to mouth even the ordinary paint films he encounters. It should thus correct his pica behaviour in regard to paint films and painted objects. The paint is also practically identical in properties of application, durability, appearance and service to presently used paints so as to make its use economical and practical given the high labor costs of application and minimize the frequency of application with its attendant cost and inconvenience.